This invention relates generally to visors for use on motor vehicles or the like, and more specifically to visors of the type having a vanity mirror attached thereto. Still more specifically, the invention pertains to such a visor/mirror assembly having a hinged mirror cover, with particular emphasis on provisions for controlling the pivotal displacement of the mirror cover between its closed and open positions.
Vehicle visors with built in vanity mirrors have been suggested and used extensively. It has also been proposed to provide a hinged cover for the vanity mirror because, left uncovered, the mirror would provide undesired reflections which might dazzle the driver. The mirror cover has customarily been opened either manually or by spring action. The manual type of mirror cover can be frictionally retained in any angular position intermediate the fully closed and fully open positions. This seeming advantage can turn into a total disadvantage, however, as the force of friction unavoidably lessens with the repeated opening and closing of the cover, until finally it becomes incapable of retaining the cover in a desired angular position.
One known type of visor/mirror assembly with a spring action mirror cover incorporates a two way biasing mechanism whereby the cover, on being manually moved to and released in a position slightly short of a half open position in either direction, automatically turns to the fully closed or fully open position. The two way biasing mechanism is objectionable because of the need for manually turning the mirror cover to an intermediate position in either covering or uncovering the cover. What is worse, on being released in the intermediate position, the mirror cover comes to an abrupt stop in the fully closed or fully open position with such momentum that the visor has been easy to undergo displacement from its preset angular position. The noise generated each time the cover snaps open or shut has also been a source of discomfort to the user.
In another known type of visor/mirror assembly the mirror cover is sprung only in the opening direction. A locking mechanism is provided for locking the cover in the closed position against the force of the spring. When unlocked, the cover is sprung open. This type of visor/mirror assembly is preferred because the vanity mirror can be uncovered with a minimum of handling, as by mere depression of a push button on the visor/mirror assembly. Here again, however, the mirror cover produces a considerable shock and noise when sprung open, because its acceleration is at a maximum in the fully open position.